Bargain
by Rionarch
Summary: Two Part Story. "You let everything slide right into your life. You've never wanted anything for yourself." Aizen/Ichigo
1. Chapter 1

AN: This is the first of a two shot, and I don't own Bleach or anything affiliated.

Ichigo knew he had to address the situation when they were finally sitting down on the table in front of him and he needed Kon's help to bandage his shoulders. They didn't trust each other's drinks or cups so it was his job to provide them; Aizen had a red power ranger mug and Yamamoto had a McDonald's Star Wars collectible cup. Between shinigami duties and moving out of the house didn't leave much in the way of china or the need to even get it.

He thought this situation called for more than paper cups- they'd given him a look the first time he'd set them up. They didn't like chips or vending snacks either. Now all they had in front of them were those mugs, some tea they'd seem him make, and some soda crackers.

"One of you is telling stories to people." Ichigo didn't normally speak to them unless he had to be used as a mediator. He was the only one considered by both to be a neutral party even though he fought with the shinigami. Ichigo didn't understand how Aizen considered him that but Yamamoto wanted to capitalize on that. Kon was working the bandage around his right arm since it was hard for him to get it around there securely. Neither of them were too happy with the damn delegations going on in their kitchen.

"What do you mean by that?" Yamamoto was silent but looking at him, just as Aizen was. He was perched on the counter by the sink and just watching the two of them. It was the best spot to be. He got to overlook them, like they wanted, but he kept the distance from them and the table. Yamamoto had made it very clear that he was meant to be a 'mediator' not an equal to them. Aizen had yet to make implication or, well, anything yet.

"Today when I was leaving my class, one of your people tried killing me. I'm just not sure which one it was." Thus the bandage. Kon tutted and sat down next to him giving a beady eyed glare to the men.

"Explain this, Kurosaki." He hated it when he had to take center stage with this.

"Just like I said. I was leaving a building and _something_ jumped behind me and tried stabbing through my heart and no one else saw it. It was either an arrancar or shinigami that heard about you two trying to come to the armistice. No one is supposed to know and I haven't said anything about it. One of you had to say something." They didn't say anything.

"Come on. Whoever this was doesn't want the war to end and thinks killing me will keep it going. If you're going to do this in my kitchen I think I should know who the fuck you've told." Kon nodded as a back up.

"I have spoken to my Vice-Captain to it, yes, but I shouldn't think he told anybody." Yamamoto sighed deeply and rubbed his eyes.

"Nobody. You could understand that this isn't not a point I'd wish to emphasis, especially to my soldiers." For not wining, but not losing Aizen still had that smile on his face. He continued, " I do believe that Kurosaki-san is correct in something. I suggest we end this meeting to handle what ever breeches there might have been." Ichigo's presence was dismissed as it usually was and Yamamoto left without a word.

"What're you still doing here?" Ichigo couldn't leave until they did. His house was put under an extreme kido and reiastu blocking barrier when they were both here as a part of the secrecy. Even his human electronics had to be turned off- god knows how many phone calls he'd missed during this three hours, bi-weekly session.

"It seems that there is a certain imbalance to our negotiations here. You have, in fact said very little. I can't help but wonder what your opinions are about this." Aizen made himself comfortable in the small chair , elbow on the table. He still had that amused look in his eye when staring at him.

"I think that after all the shit you've done you're getting off easy. That, and I really hate that I can't tell anyone about this." Kon left not wanting to be in the same room as Aizen; he barely tolerated Yamamoto in his house. Kon had used Ichigo's body to rent the house while he was in another battle and the space was just as much his and it was Ichigo's.

"Easy to you. I can admit that my pride has taken a severe hit by complying with this set back." Not nearly enough, Ichigo thought, if the man could still be relaxed and smiling in his enemies kitchen.

"These meeting have been ongoing three weeks. I believe that you and I need to talk soon." Aizen left too, and Ichigo felt he barriers drop down from out of his house. He sighed and cleaned up the dish and joined Kon on the other room's couch, also his bed, rubbing his shoulder. The wound wouldn't show on his human body but it was a pretty bad sight as a shinigami. Something had been on the sword to keep it from healing and he hadn't been able to see Inoue to get it fixed. She, Chad, and Ishida went to another university a district away, ironically for the sciences. Chad was going to be a vet and Ishida was following his dad by being a doctor. Inoue instead chose to be a lab tech or something; she wasn't sure yet. But after all the wound's she's 'healed' drove her away from any medical profession.

He did have a few friends around him and it kept him... content almost. His not so spiritually involved friends all went to university with him; Tatsuki in Sports Medicine and minoring in business. It had been her plan for years of restart her old teacher's dojo and nothing was going to take that from her. She had plenty of requests to become a shinigami or to even join a division as a human liaison. Mizuro was undecided and Keigo was in for psychology, of all things. He claimed that if he always worked in a school it would be easier to get high school chicks.

Ichigo saw Chizuru the most, since they often ran into each other in their history classes. As of right now she's left three messages about the essay due tomorrow that neither of them started and would probably be working on in this rinky apartment til two am with a box of take-out.

It had been a delegation day so there were no hollow alerts.

Somehow, Ichigo wondered as Kon flipped through the channels of the television he wasn't seeing, if this wasn't the reason he was the neutral party. Instead of the security and glory of being a shinigami hero he was here in a cramped apartment trying to get a five page paper done in the morning.

* * *

"One of these days, Ichigo, I'm going to find out what keeps you so busy at night." Chizuru was the only one that didn't _quite_ know about his shinigami life yet but she was starting to see other shadows and it was only a matter of time. Last night had been a terribly one with a stray arrancar acting out of orders lead some gillians to a geriatric's complex with most of them close to death anyway that a lot of people just died.

"It's probably not what you think it is."

"Well it might be as absurd as I think. You're way to into that class." They'd just left Studies of American Conspiracy, taught by an American immigrant. He seemed too enthused, sometimes, and lost the class in theory than what actually happened. It took some people about a week to realize that the second shooter was not confirmed, if that meant anything.

"Excuse me, but you are a difficult one to find, Kurosaki-kun."The two stopped and turned to the man that addressed him. Aizen.

"What?" Panic raced through Ichigo's mind- it wasn't a designated meet-up day, so what was Aizen doing in a gigai wandering around his campus? Have things gone off to sour? Aizen looked like he wanted to say something but he eyed Chizuru and stopped. He was relieved, somehow, because if it had been something bad she might have been dead already or at least aware of a mounting spiritual pressure.

"Something never change, do they? I would hate to interrupt your lunch. There needs to be a certain discussion later. Good day." Just as swiftly as he appeared he was gone. What the hell was waiting for him at home he had no idea but Chizuru wanted his attention _now._

"Kurosaki Ichigo, why didn't you tell me that you were bent? We could have hung at way sooner." There was a devilish glint in her eye that made everyone wander away from her, even if the outburst didn't do it. They parked themselves on the grass waiting for Tatsuki to get out of her class and join them.

"What do you mean?" His mind was elsewhere to understand what she was saying and his sandwich wasn't the most appealing thing he'd ever eaten. She snorted and ate hers.

"The late nights and secrecy. Why you never took Orihime's open invitations. So obvious _now. _You've got a sugar daddy, don't you?" Sandwich, meet his throat. He felt his face heat up and the dizzy feeling from lack of air before Chizuru stopped laughing long enough to pat his back and get him to cough it up.

"The hell are you on about?" It wasn't his manliest screech ever but circumstances being what they were- was she high? He picked up his water and drank from it, still glaring at her while she smirked.

"Well let's see it from my point of view, a very handsome man- don't give me that look, I can think guys are hot- comes up to you right after class and says that you're going to meet up. No names were exchanged so you obviously knew each other. And, well, you didn't treat him like he was an authoritative adult. Plus you're not getting any that I'm aware of so..." That grin on her face said more than she did. Ichigo put his sandwich away and carefully sipped his water. His appetite was killed swiftly.

"No. He's just someone that I have to work with, for now." He saw Tatsuki trotting over to them and hurried to close the topic, "Look, please don't mention it to anybody?" He must have looked pathetic enough for her to agree or maybe it was just the pervert in her that liked the idea and agreed.

"Tell me if he has a sister." He groaned and she winked, waving Tatsuki down into the seat next to her. She noticed right away that something went on between them.

"What are you too so fired about?" She bit into her salad and looked between the two.

"The Warren Commission, that's it. We're going out to meet up with Orihime tonight in front of the theater. She's really excited to get a break from her midterms." Ichigo laid himself out of the grass and dozed off trying to catch up on the sleep he'd lost last night.

When Ichigo got home that night he heard the furious tapping of a cloth foot on the kitchen table and saw Kon staring down Aizen, as comfortable as always. He was dressed in the same way as he was this morning, grey pants and a long jacket over an orange shirt. It was strange to see him in anything but the white uniform or event he white captain's haori, but there it was.

"Hey Kon why don't you go in the other room. I'll be okay." The little lion plushie spluttered and pointed a felt claw at Aizen.

"Why is he here today?"

"He'll be gone in a few minutes." Finally Aizen was starting to look less than perfect. Being ignored wasn't something he was familiar with. Kon huffed and hopped into the living room, pushing pillows around to block out their conversation.

"What are you doing here." The light of amusement was back and it annoyed him in ways that was hard to describe. Someone else's unhappiness shouldn't make him giddy but with Aizen it did.

"Firstly I came to assure you that none of my men have dared to kill you. We are probably looking at a shinigami who has lost a great deal in this war and wants my head to hang as a warning to everybody else. They correctly think that killing you will stop it." To his counter, like every other time even though there were three others chairs for the taking. He was going to be comfortable in his house, dammit.

"That's great."

"You are absolutely astounding, Kurosaki. Not once have you asked why you're the one that has to arrange these meetings or why Yamamoto picked the wrong person to do them. You're friend the Quincy would have been a much better choice for the shinigami." By repeating the mantra that Aizen like to Cause Trouble was the only way he stayed on that counter instead of screaming. Ichigo did _not_ like saying he was being used or worse, wasn't good enough.

"Excuse me?" Man, if he could only spit venom now.

"You are in a position many would kill to be in. The spiritual worlds are deciding who gets what, who lives and dies, and you sit there on that counter with the ability to say no to anything and everything. Granted you have argued to leave the humans alone and for the freedoms to your modsoul pets and _vizards_ but you've asked for nothing yourself. Yamamoto picked horribly wrong and it will work out for me." Aizen did _not_ just get out of his seat and walk over the counter he was sitting. But he did and leaned casually against it, staring at the fridge just across the way.

"Ishida would have been a better choice then?" Aizen nodded and looked at him. He didn't take his eyes off of the fridge because it was still hammered into his head to never look at Aizen directly.

"Everything done so far has curbed Shinigami power. A good leader ensures that his soldiers would be taken care of and the arrancar are safe." Ichigo coughed and made a face at that.

"Bullshit. You don't give a fuck what happens to them- you kill them or demote them and never pay attention again." Doridoni made that very clear in his first trip to Las Noches. Aizen was a cruel, cruel man for bringing out the best in his men and then dismissing them, making them think it was there fault.

"You're right I don't. But you do." he made a big mistake. He looked at Aizen who was only inches away from him. The man continued, "You are probably the only person that cares about the fate of them. That is also why I can guarantee that none of them have attacked you- they absolutely _love_ you, Kurosaki." They had both moved slightly and Ichigo recalled when his had came close to touching Aizen's elbow. Any distance that he had wanted to keep was voided. He hadn't seen Aizen use this kind of intimidation tactic before. Four years now of fighting this man and she still hadn't come any closer to figuring anything out.

"Love, right. I'm sure that's the first thing Grimmjow and Ulquiorra think of when they see me." Aizen laughed deeply and moved the space between them once again. His knees were pressed against Aizen's elbows and there was no where for him to move anymore. At least if he didn't want to be over the kitchen sink.

If his fidgeting didn't give it away nothing would but neither of them moved away from another. The mental image of them made Ichigo want to groan- Chizuru would never let him live it down if she would ever see this. She tended to see things the way she wanted and not the way it really was.

"The Quincy would also know what he wants," Aizen sidestepped the entire last point, "as opposed to someone like you." What was Aizen meaning?

"I want a lot of things. I want good grades, my friends and family to be safe..." He was cut off and Aizen moved off of the counter- thank god- and stood in front of him now. They were almost eye to eye.

"Superficial. You let everything slide right into your life. You've never _wanted_ anything for yourself. It makes it difficult to figure out what would please or upset you." Sometime by the end of his speech, Aizen's voice dropped lower and it made Ichigo feel like he was on a table being inspected.

"Want something; some_one._ You'll see then just how much power you have." Aizen gave him one last hard stare and left without another word. The door shut and Ichigo felt like he could breathe again.

What the hell was that about?

* * *

"What were you thinking?" They were sitting outside the Squad Four barracks with several of the captain debriefing them about the most recent attack. Ichigo had run into Grimmjow again and that was putting it lightly. Rukia, however, was pissed off for a completely different reason.

"Just leave me alone, Rukia." Captains Ukitake and Kyouraku were heading over slowly and that was the only thing putting a cap on her rage.

"No! You haven't been yourself Ichigo. You've been fighting sloppily and it's as if you don't really care anymore." He didn't care anymore, that was the problem. She went on, aware of the steps closing in behind her, "and then you spent the entire time _playing_ with Grimmjow. I've seen a more serious fight between you and Renji. I don't know what's going on with you but fix it before someone else pays for it." He was the reason they were both there right now. Grimmjow had gotten a few good hits in and they wanted it to get checked out by a medic since Inoue wasn't in too good of a condition herself.

"Hello Rukia. You should probably have that wound on your thigh checked out." She hesitated but bowed, not wanting to disrespect her Captain.

"Yes, Captian Ukitake." The look she gave him implied that they're conversation wasn't over. It was, she just didn't know it yet.

"And are you alright, Kurosaki?" Kyouraku waited until she was gone to begin talking.

"I'm fine, why?" They shared a look and stood standing which made him uncomfortable. It was one thing with Yamamoto and Aizen and another with these too. The still scabbing wounds pulled and stretched painfully as he got up to lean against the wall.

"We heard that these were caused by the Arrancar Grimmjow..." That brought a smile to his face when he remembered their fight until Grimmjow had to run away.

"Tch. You should see how I messed him up." Kyouraku sighed and Ukitake got a worried look on his face.

"That's not what we meant. What will this mean for the settlement?" All fatigue left him and he stood straight up.

"How the hell did you hear about that?" They seemed surprised at his outburst but he was too angry to care. Following that attack a few days ago there had been three others, and not one of them had been a hollow. Any other hollow would have liked to attack him out right or have triggered the alert. Plus he'd bitten the bullet and asked Neliel. Aizen was right about the fact that he cared about the arrancar way more than he should, but she said none of them did it and promised to beat the crap out of anyone that tried.

"Calm down, Yamamoto told..."

"Where is he?" Ichigo wasn't having any of this. If he found out that one more fucking person knew he might just kill them. It wasn't helping that he was suddenly a target for everyone to go at. No one was supposed to know about this or they would freak. He was cooperating with Yamamoto and _Aizen_; didn't they understand how bad that was to begin with?

Shinji and Urahara and the others would never speak to him again. Right now he was honestly working on taking away the only hope they'd had in over a hundred years just so other people could be alive and happy. Then there was watching the unseated shinigami just die because they couldn't work fast enough.

The two senior captains chased after him as he ran into the office of the First Squad not knocking or anything. Unohana was already there having tea with Sasakibe off to the side.

"Old man, who the hell else knows about this? It wasn't his proudest moment ever. He was dry heaving, red faced, sweaty, and reopened his cuts like an idiot but he was _pissed_. At least Yamamoto had the shame to put down the tea cup and sigh. The other two walked in and shut the door.

"Its been limited to everyone in the room. I didn't think of any issue with them knowing- they will have to help set this peace into action too." Liar.

"So you're telling me that one of you tried to kill me? Four Times?" Ukitake was the only one that looked shocked. "Before you asked it wasn't an arrancar- I checked already." Unohana spoke next.

"And your trusted source is Aizen?" When did this become _his_ inquisition? She looked at him like she was wondering if he would take Aizen's word so easily.

"No, I asked one of my friends but that's not the problem here. _You've_ been telling everybody and I've got people trying to kill me wherever I go." Ukitake murmured something about my friend to Kyouraku, but Yamamoto broke up the conversation before it even started.

"This will be handled by the end of the week; its been narrowed down to five possibly people but there is something I'd like for you to consider Kurosaki." There were a few more smiles in the room but he was getting stared down by at least two of them. He could feel their eyes pined on him. Watching his every move. This was so different from Aizen's intimidation tactics. It was so claustrophobic but there was nothing being done. No exchange.

If there was one thing Ichigo hated it was being talked to.

"We're asking you to consider Captaincy after this is over." Well if that wasn't a lead weight.

* * *

He was back in his apartment, waiting for the next meeting to start in a few hours. Kon was over visiting the house, paying a visit to Yuzu, especially, who still thought he was just a doll that got lost a lot. Ichigo hadn't said anything about the offer to anybody- he would have to be crazy not to take it.

Then why, he thought, was he still sitting on the couch that was coming to pieces working on an essay that barely had any effect on his grade? Why was he even working at having a human life at all now that his future for the next couple of hundred of years. A voice that sounded an awful lot like Aizen's reminded him that it was because he didn't _want _the job. It was step one in realizing that he'd done something wrong; Aizen was influencing his thoughts because it sounded like a good idea.

Ichigo's train of thought was broken when he had the feeling again. Something was coming at him and this time he saw the person. Shinigami were a lot of things but they were never good at adapting to modern stuff, since he saw the dark clothes ninja reflect in his laptop's screen before any attack could be done. He stood casually and waited for it the assassin to get a little closer.

They had a small tanto with no decoration or details- it wasn't their soul blade but it could enough damage on it's own. They were only about a foot away now and ready to stab him when Ichigo flipped around and kicked the legs out from underneath he person. The assassin landed gracefully enough and proceeded to charge towards the window when he talked _her_ into the wall and took the sword away from her.

"Who the hell are you?" She still had some fight in her and kicked him in the stomach, then higher when her heel met his nose. He still had her sword so there wouldn't be an immediate chance but the blood poured out of his nose before he could keep a better grip on her.

"Sai." The spots faded away from his vision and he heard her scream frantically, writhing next to his blood splatters on the floor. Aizen stood in the divide between the rooms with one finger pointed out to her.

"I think you're problem's been solved, Kurosaki-kun" Ichigo ran to the kitchen and replaced his hand with some tissues to sop up the blood. It had dribbled down his chain and all over his shirt with a few spots on the rug. By the time he turned back to his attacker Aizen was already there taking he mask off.

She was pretty non-descript with short dark hair that looked like it was growing in without care, a pale face, and dark eyes. She looked like one of the people that Yoruichi trained, but she had no spiritual energy.

"Why have you been trying to kill me?" She wasn't saying anything so he crouched down and look att he inside of her uniform and say the 2nd division insignia but the cloth look old, unchanged, and it smelled like sweat. He jumped when Aizen put a hand on his shoulder.

"There would be no other person to moderate Yamamoto and myself. Killing you would put the fight on indefinitely as well as inquisition about who had done it. The Captain Commander should be delighted to know that it's over." Another unexpected movement- he was helped up by that same hand.

"This is exactly what I mean. You already trust me to keep your assassin under chains and have no opinion or comment." He wiped his hand on the rough canvas texture of his coat even though there was nothing on it.

"Yeah, well I've got plenty of comments about her and _you_." Ichigo realized that he was the one standing too close now and moved over to lounge on the couch- he wouldn't be putting out tea and cracker for them this time. He was too mentally exhausted to even care about what they were talking about.

"You want a comment, here's one. They want me to be a Captain." Ichigo, shut up. He should just keep his mouth shut sometimes- and why the fuck was Aizen sitting the couch too? He sprawled out and let their knees touch. It was his couch, dammit, and he wasn't about to let anyone make him feel awkward on it.

"No, "Oh you have to be decisive about that Kurosaki-kun", or "What do you _want" _?" Next to him he could hear the soft chuckling.

"I never said you weren't decisive; no one could ever say that. But you still haven't found something you want."

"Not even my family is this curious about what I want. They're also a lot more respectful of my space." You're on a roll, Ichigo. Just keep talking and he'll have enough ammunition to verbally beat you down. Don't you _ever_ learn?

"Your space? This?" So, okay, his apartment was up to most living standards. It had a kitchen, a bathroom, and a living room that doubled as a bedroom. It was bigger than a dorm room and with enough posters you wouldn't see the plaster or discoloration on the walls. Aizen wasn't even bothering to hide his disapproval at the place.

"I could mention how your mind is the only space you'll ever need... but I understand. After everything you've done to protect the people around you, you've never quite forgiven the fact that the shinigami let your home get destroyed so easily. They didn't care and now this is your world." He was right. His home's destruction hadn't even been a direct part of the war. Mayuri had been performing more space switching experiments and half the city became... broken, for lack of better words. Just parts of houses slide down off of themselves; balconies in the driveway, sinks in the porch, etc. His house got caught.

"Better than Las Noches."

"Las Noches at least has walls in one piece. Or, at least they do until you decide to pay another _visit_." There was a knock on the door but neither or them got up. He'd been finding this conversation fun to have. He didn't have to worry about saying something wrong. You couldn't get anymore wrong than Aizen.

"Come in!" The soft tapping of the old man into the room, stalling at what was in front of him. They were on the couch and one of his shinigami was bound down, blood plastered in some places.

"What is going on here?" Yamamoto was the only one that had his sword with him. It really meant nothing.

"That bitch is the one trying to kill me."

"We'll take care of this after the meeting." Aizen interrupted but stayed on the couch with him. Yamamoto went to sit on the desk chair next to his soldier and meeting number twelve began.


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Thanks for all the reviews and general readings of the chapter. Tell me if you like this last part, please!

Ichigo had to get out of the house that night since it became way too stifling. The reason he was across the city in a cafe was because he wanted to speak to Tatsuki, Chizuru, and the guys without anybody else hanging around and asking questions.

"Guys? Do I want anything?" They were all busy around two small tables with their books scattered around but he knew he had their attention even though there was an exam the very next day. A few taps of his pencil and Ichigo shook his head and leaned back into the chair.

"I don't know check the menu." Tatsuki looked over the special's list written on the wall in chalk, perusing if she wanted something to munch on herself.

"I don't mean if I want something to eat..." The girls the next table over were giving him dirty looks so he lowered his voice and tried to keep it as concise as possible. Or maybe they were just trying to get Keigo away from their table; it could be either one. He explained that someone asked him that recently. He could share pretty much anything with them but something told Ichigo to keep Aizen's interest a secret. He didn't want to be a part of another of Aizen's manipulations but it was looking like that.

"It's never really mattered with you, Ichigo, you can _do_ things." Tatsuki put down her notes and braced him arm against the table. Chizuru was up at the counter getting a drink so Tatsuki made her point quickly.

"You've never waited for someone's okay and you've always done as you wanted. Just do as you've always done." Mizuro kept an eye on who was around them just in case.

"Yeah, and what with the whole Rukia and Orihime thing you do whatever you want. Man Ichigo, I've never seen you sweat anything out in a while. I'm so jealous!" Keigo had his two cents as well but it didn't make him feel like the question was answered. He _had_ to help his friends, it had nothing to do with wanting it. Tatsuki leaned back when Chizuru came back with drinks for all of them- their regular fixes. The others had a kind of coffee drink but he wasn't allowed those anymore by Unohana (or his dad) after he'd abused caffeine for a while.

"One of these days I'm going to know that little secret you guys always keep from me. Did you kill somebody?" She looked almost too eager. Tatsuki swatted her with the papers and denied it.

"No, but we're helping Ichigo here with whatever's bothering him. I've heard from a couple of other people that he's been down like this for a while." She went back to scribbling a few notes down.

"I am not depressed. Just tired I guess." Keigo nodded sagely- an odd look, but Mizuro didn't hit him. They were spiritually aware but not quite ready to take part in any battles and hopefully they wouldn't have to if he had any say in it but they knew how tiring it could be.

"Well I can imagine a very _good_ reason for you to be tired. Bow chicka bow wow." She wouldn't. Oh god she _would_. He didn't have a- a sugar daddy or whatever she called it but one description of Aizen would be enough to get the others angry. Tatsuki had a poster of the man on her wall she occasionally used for target practice. She'd never forgiven him for Inoue not being quite the same after he little visit to Heuco Mundo.

He had a source- and damnit, when did he start having one of _those?_- that Aizen wasn't the only reason she was like that. Ulquiorra seemed to still hold something over her that not everybody was sure about. Nel had hinted, though, that both of them would be really, really happy if they didn't have to fight anymore. He wasn't about to tell anybody.

"What is she talking about Ichigo." Mizuro had that creepy smile on his face that he usually got when he tormented Keigo. He _knew_ what their friend was implying even if the other two hadn't completely caught on yet. Ichigo felt his neck and cheeks start to turn red and denied before anyone said anything else.

"Chizuru _shut up_." Keigo gasped and started chocking on the muffin he'd been eating. Mizuru was laughing so much that his whole body was shaking and Chizuru was there, whispering the lewd answer to Tatsuki's bafflement.

"You've got a boyfriend?" Gee, Tatsuki, could you get any louder? The girls over the at able looked at them with disgust and finally left. They looked like high school girls out way past their bedtime anyway (not that any of them were ones to talk).

"No I don't have a boyfri-" His cellphone rang. It wasn't a call from any of his friends but it had the one ring tone he'd used whenever ti was shinigami business. "Fuck, hold on a second. Hello?"

"Evening, Kurosaki-kun. We've run into yet another problem from the shinigami. It seems that the Masked Army has found out about this. There is an emergency meeting as quick as possible." Aizen sounded irritated and Ichigo's stomach dropped. There was no way that Shinji and the others, hell none of his friends would take this peace very happily. Now that they've found out...everything had been set back a few weeks at best.

"Kurosaki-kun?" It changed to worry. It was amazing how just a few weeks of talking to someone can make even phone calls clear. And people say he didn't think enough. He missed the guys looking each other and Chizuru leaning closer to hear the conversation.

"Yeah, I'm here. I'll be there as soon as I can. I'm a bit far away but... see you." He shut the phone off and started packing his books up; everyone at the table was looking at him and that blush came back. He realized what this looked like.

"Uhh...I've got to go."

"I _bet_ you do. Go get him!" Chizuru was of course cheering him on. This little drama she'd concocted for herself brought her more amusement than it should. Tatsuki was still slack jawed.

"You mean she's right Ichigo?" Go ahead, Kurosaki, fumble your way through this one. Either you tell them you're on a romantic rendevous or that you're brokering peace between Satan himself and a Old Man.

"Look, it's really not what you think but I have to leave, now." He was halfway up when Mizuru interrupted again.

"Why can't we met him Ichigo? I promise we'll be nice." Good face, he almost believed that one. That little angel had ripped some men apart with words cause they thought he was too young for his taste in women. He was proud to say he'd never had mother issues like _that_.

"Oh he can't do that, Mizuru. Ichigo's with an older man." He couldn't listen to this anymore. Even if none of the secrets came out just by what she was saying to them he'd never live it down for years. She'd be very sorry next week when he didn't help her with the response paper but that wasn't the most taxing thing on his mind right now.

The vizards knew about this. How much did they know? What did they think? Was another war about to start again because they felt betrayed? A slow headache was forming between his eyes.

BEEEEEEEEP.

He'd only gotten a block or two away with light running when a taxi slid up along him. The driver was unfamiliar but Aizen in the pseudo casual clothes were in the back seat, motioning for him to get in- the driver was looking irate.

"What's this about then?" None the less he slid into the back seat unquestionably. His self preservation _had_ to be taking a nose dive for this to happen.

"This is much faster. I would rather get to your apartment before they send the Vizard representative." Both men collapsed into the seats, still more than half the city away from his apartment. He'd need another cup.

"How the hell did they find out anyway. How fucking hard is it to keep this damn thing a secret?" Dimly he was aware of Aizen's arm stretching out over the seats and somewhere behind him. His head was pounding now and he wasn't ready for this argument that would probably take epic proportions.

"They're probably going to send Shinji or Urahara. Mostly likely Shinji." Ichigo sighed again and tilted his head back. The top of the car was disgusting, discolored with things he didn't want to imagine. Aizen was nervous too. He felt the jittery taps near the back of his neck even if the other man's face didn't give it away.

"You don't seem to happy with your fellows finding out about this. Shouldn't Kurosaki-kun be excited that this is happening?"

"Oh yeah. I'm really excited about telling the others that everything they've waited a century for won't happen. It's going to be even better when Urahara finds out that I knew about this the entire time and I haven't said anything or tried to sabotage it. They won't forgive me for this." Aizen turned to look at him, a faint look of surprise.

"You don't want me dead?"

"I don't want anybody dead. It doesn't fix anything but a lot of people really hate you." Cars honked outside with people desperate to finally get home. Ichigo's voice went hoarse, like a frog got stuck in his throat and all of how tired he was came back. "It's not like you wouldn't deserve it, you bastard." Aizen blinked and had a strange look on his face.

They were both yellow washed from the older street lights around the city and the darkness of the cabs, music humming in the blocked portion of the front and trying to drown out the traffic. The silence they had was a nice one but the air was stifling but any more noise would just be annoying.

Ichigo was _okay_ with the quiet and the warmness of the car that made him sleepy and feel all sorts of heavy. And with the fact that he was laid there, docile and open for any and all attacks without a care, even his neck exposed past the collar of his jacket. He didn't mind that occasionally Aizen's fingers rapped against his shoulder or flicked longer strands of his hair or that the close weight between the two made more heat in the already oven exhausting car.

"Thank you." Just as quietly as can be and they just looked at each other; one too tired to move and the other too fascinated. His heart didn't race and nothing cliche like his 'loins stirring' happened, thank god, but something was there. At its slow and even beat his heart had a harder thud and thud and thud...

* * *

As expected, they sent Shinji and nothing was done that meeting except for a lot of yelling and explanations. Ichigo couldn't help but feel worse and worse when Shinji leveled a stare against him completely disappointed. Matters weren't helped when there was an awkward stand off in his kitchen. You don't explain to Shinji why you can't talk because you have to sort out a life crisis moment with the man that tried to take over several worlds. In the end they both left without having a conversation they wanted.

He still didn't like the fuckery of how they were going to announce that it was over. Hell, he didn't even go there even though he was supposed to. Instead he waited it out in his apartment for the entire morning a couple of packets of instant ramen out of a coolwhip bowl.

"Ready to go, Ichigo?" The plushie hopped into the backpack and they went out of the door, and on the train to Karakura. They couldn't exactly talk on the train but they didn't need to anyway. Both of them were a little sick about going to see everybody at the Shoten, modsouls included. He didn't even want to go anywhere near his family today or any of his friends but he _had_ to see what his teachers thought about this.

Outside of the shoten was like every other day- Jinta wasn't working and Ururu was. A perfectly normal front for a normal shopkeeper. Kon poked his head out of the backpack and bounced into the store to find his friends- they didn't say anything to him.

"Hey." Ururu paused in her sweeping but neither of them said anything, acting like he hadn't practically lived her for a couple of months. They were kids and had every right to be mad. Ichigo gulped and walked into the shop, noting how quiet it was. Yourichi was laying across the shelf as a cat, beady eyes watching him and her tail swishing around. Urahara was just behind the counter looking at him from underneath that stupid hat of his.

If this were any other day Yoruichi would have already jumped on him and played pat away at his head while Urahara hitting him with something or other. Now they weren't moving at all, not even acknowledging that he was here with a pause. Dull taps could be heard from the other room so at least Kon's confrontation was going better than his.

"It's been a while since I've been around. Sorry about that." He frowned when they still didn't say anything.

"I guess Yamamoto said everything today. Since the world hasn't really ended everything went okay." He shuffled his feet and walked closer to the counter- Tessai wasn't even coming out.

"God damn say something!" He banged the counter and got right into Urahara's face. Nothing. No flinching, no laughs, not even a hit from that fan he's become accounted with when he did something wrong.

"I'm sorry, Customer-san, did you need help with something?" Urahara said it jovially, like he'd never met him before and wanted to make a good impression. That wide and fake grin was there too and if Ichigo weren't shaking so much he'd have made a fist and punched him in the face.

"Fuck you." Kon could handle himself and find his way home and he wasn't in danger anymore. No one was in fucking danger anymore because he helped stop it. Urahara can go back home now, and Tessai, and those fucking brats but that didn't mean shit anymore.

He knew what was coming but had to see for himself anyway. Those familiar streets, even with the damages from Mayuri's mistake and the destruction from battles across Karakura, were easy to run and it would take a quarter of an hour to run down to the factory the vizards called home.

Ichigo made the run in ten minutes.

The barrier they put up had always been disregarded by him but now it simply wasn't there anymore. He got that sick feeling in his stomach and bile in his throat when the storage door slid open and no one was inside. There wasn't a trace of them left and even the training room Urahara had put in disappeared.

"DAMNIT!" He kicked one of the crates left behind and it broke into a few pieces. Now that he was coming back down from that adrenaline high the sweat clung to him and his shirt but he didn't take off his jacket. Sometimes it was preferable to be uncomfortable.

He knew that his friends weren't going to be okay with what he did but never this bad. On his own he would never be able to find the vizards again. Can't read the weekly series with Love and Lisa, can't find with Hiyori and Kensei, can't get dragged into the market by Mashiro. Can't even talk to Shinji. You'd think after years of working together and helping each other it wouldn't be that easy to just shut him out. Ichigo finished off the broken crate with a few more kicks.

"I'm sure they'll call to you in a few days." He didn't hear anyone come up behind him, though Yoruichi stood there, still out of her shinigami uniform. She wasn't smiling to even pretending to be friendly but she was _gracious_ enough to talk to him.

"For what?" Yoruichi didn't come any closer to him, eyes narrowing in a way that was supposed to be threatening.

"You went behind all of our backs and worked with Aizen. We can't touch him now or any of the other bastards that _started_ this-" Ichigo cut her off. He'd had it with all the worries and people being angry at him. He'd worried about this exact problem for months- late night tossing in bed wondering who was going to be there when this finally happened. Apparently that meant Kon.

"You and Urahara and Tessai and all of the other fucking vizards can go home now! And you know who did that? Me. Aizen would have been more than happy to let you fucking rot. Yamamoto doesn't give a shit about any of you." There, something else truthful. She actually flinched a little bit and couldn't seem to believe it.

"You're lying. There are too many gaps in the Seireitei's power for him to think like that..." She didn't really believe because she didn't _want_ to, a very suspicious voice reminded him. Ichigo didn't care about breaking their hearts now, not after this.

"They asked me to be a Captain. You have been replaced a couple of times over and no one gives a fuck about you anymore. The only people that still wanted a fight were you and everybody else at the Shoten. Give it up! It's over!" He'd blamed himself for a lot of things the past few years but this wouldn't be one of them. Ichigo was sick and tired of trying to find a way to make everybody happy because he wasn't.

The Shinigami were in the afterlife where they belonged. There wouldn't be anymore 'adventures' with Renji and Rukia for along time. Chad and the others deserved their chance at a normal life too. Everybody was getting back to their life except him. He had nothing really to go back to anymore.

He wanted to not worry about someone for awhile. To not have to tip toe around everything and pretend that he was always going to do the right thing. Someone that wouldn't-couldn't judge him for the crap he decides to do.

When a picture came to and he realized _who_ he wanted it felt like that lead weight was dropping down into his stomach again and a thud, thud, thud.

* * *

Two weeks later Ichigo still hadn't heard from anybody else but the awesome celebrations could be felt everywhere. Rukia and the others were kind of delighted now that they could get back on track. His friends were even okay with it- some more than others. He hadn't had the nerve to ask them if the others still spoke with them but it was pretty certain. Ulquiorra didn't get a gigai out of no where.

He had something to do today, surprisingly. A plain card with an address on it and the simple greeting "House Warming Party" was all that was sent over the mail but Ichigo had a feeling who it was. The address lead him to a better off neighborhood a bit away from the university stomping grounds in a high rise filled with condos.

It only took Ichigo a second to find the door- it was open and soft music was playing- and even less time to realize he was very underdressed in rough jeans and a jacket and much younger than most of the people here who were in their middle life already. One woman had the nerve to ask him if he'd gotten the cleaning schedule messed up.

"You seem to have found my last guest, Himaki-san. Hello Kurosaki-kun, you seem to be your usual self today." Aizen was dressed in pressed white- again- and passed him a drink that he shouldn't probably have. He continued, "and I believe Nadonichi was looking for you before." The woman, Himaki, excused herself after running a hand across Aizen's shoulder. First sip of the drink.

"You don't have the right to make fun of my apartment anymore. At least it looks like something." Walking into the place had brought back some memories from Las Noches. The walls were stark white with the occasional black and white furniture and the random abstract painting added a color to the rooms. Even the kitchen seemed to follow that layout.

"It's a _style_. Much like when it comes to clothes." Ichigo blushed and looked away.

"Well it's not like that blank invitation had a dresscode or anything on it. What're you doing here and where's the other two in your trio of evil?" They made their way into the kitchen and by habit Ichigo found himself sitting on the counter and avoiding the other people in the party. They pretended not to see him and probably assumed he was 'help' that needed to be talked to.

"Don't you know, I'm a lawyer. Opening up a firm after spending a few years in Europe and trying to mingle." Ichigo choked on his own spit and cleared his throat.

"That's what you're telling them! And they believe it?" Kick yourself Ichigo, go ahead. The man conned people who knew him for hundreds of years, what did poor unsuspecting humans have to defend themselves against him?

"They believe that I am affluent and looking for something. I am, that isn't a lie." There was a personal space violation again when Aizen stood with him watching the other people at the party talk to one another without really saying a word.

"You didn't say where Tousen and Ichimaru were."

"They have decided to remain in the Seireitei. Since leaving Hueco Mundo was one of the conditions of our armistice, they decided to go back." He wasn't looking at Ichigo and even if he was there would have been a perfectly neutral face to look at.

"So you've been dumped too?" He couldn't help it and laughed, sliding down to the ground and blocked Aizen in against his counter. Tousen and Ichimaru had something to go back to. Aizen had spent his life making sure nothing was there hold him back but nothing was there to catch him either. Going back to the Seireitei might as well be a death sentence or at least a miserable life of paranoia.

"Careful now."

"I'm never careful. I've finally got an answer to your question too." Aizen was smirking at him and Ichigo couldn't help but reflect it right back. It meant a yes.

"Oh I'm not too sure about that. I mean I did most of the work here, sliding right into your life. Just like I warned you about; you seem to let whoever likes to worm their way right into you. There wasn't much of a fight I'll admit. I bet you didn't even notice when apathy ended and affection began." An arm wrapped around him but he wasn't quite ready to slide into the comfort.

"Go to hell. You've had this planned all along." He downed the rest of his drink and reached for another. Aizen had the nerve to lean over and kiss his brow.

"Come on, let's get to the party." Ugh, Ichigo you've done it again. You've let yourself get conned into a relationship without even realizing.

"You had this planned to? Want me to wash your dishes?"

"No, no. I plan on telling them you're about ten years older and that this is a phase you're going through for your work."

He was about to walk into a living room full of people that neither of them knew and they had to act like they enjoyed his company. After that there might be some fighting between him and Aizen on just how much he _wanted_ this relationship, mental coercion or not. It may or may not get physical in the best sense possible. Best of all he was having fun with it and not worrying about whether or not it was going to blow up in his face.

Probably the only thing he regretted was that he had now, through these twisted sort of interactions and meetings, had proven Chizuru right. He could live with that; maybe.


End file.
